The Crazy Thing
by Elsey Snape
Summary: After Serena and Chuck go to college, things get tense in the vdB household. Can Eric and Bart keep their family from falling apart? Conclusion.
1. Chapter 1

The Crazy Thing

Fall 2009

Eric wondered at how easy it all seemed. The penthouse had become eerily quiet now that the two noisiest inhabitants had left for college. Serena and Chuck had both elected to go to Brown for college, and to please Lily they had agreed to share an apartment in Providence. It was her hope that they would keep each other out of trouble.

But Lily hadn't shed a tear nor did she seem to be affected at all that her daughter and stepson were leaving. Bart was even less moved. He barely acknowledged Chuck as they all rode the elevator down to see off their car. He sort of smiled at Serena, then he shook Chuck's hand as if he had only just met him. Eric was noticably more affected as he hugged his sister and smiled awkwardly at his stepbrother, because they both knew Serena would make fun of them if they hugged and their parents would be surprised and maybe even a little uncomfortable if they showed any sort of affection toward the other. But Eric stood on the sidewalk with his mother and stepfather, watching their car drive away, and he felt the tension rising again.

The tension lessened as the days went by and eventually Bart left the country on business and Eric started his junior year of high school. He didn't see much of his mother. He suspected she was in Brooklyn, but he never asked and she certainly didn't volunteer any information. Things had been tense since the Snowflake Ball, but no one had mentioned anything to Eric and Serena didn't know anything and Chuck was seemingly oblivious to the situation. Now, ten months later, things still weren't any better.

Bart and Lily Bass made their public appearances together and donated their money but inside the Bass household, there was nothing but icy glares, awkward silences, and other things Eric wished he never had to witness. And it all came so naturally to both of them. Smiling. Acting in love. Glaring. Yelling. Accusing. It was all a lie and Eric wondered how long it would be before the shit would finally hit the fan and he and his mother would be on the move again to god knows where.

The crazy thing about it was that this time, he didn't know if he wanted to go with his mother. He liked Bart and even at their most awkward, Bart was always looking out for Eric. No one had ever been completely available to him like Bart was. Chuck had been in the beginning but once he and Blair started dating, everything became about her. But most times after a bad shouting match and after his mother left the penthouse, Bart would come and talk to Eric, and basicially act as if nothing had happened downstairs.

If Eric were more cynical, he would think that Bart was only trying to manipulate him, but Eric knew better. He had been through enough therapy to know that, even though they weren't that close, Bart missed his son, and was woried that if this tension and fighting continued, he might lose another.

Eric, on the other hand, worried that, for the first time, he would lose a father he actually cared about, who cares about him. Or a mother who may or may not really care.


	2. Chapter 2

The Crazy Thing Part 2  
Thanksgiving Day 2009

Eric slept in on Thanksgiving Day. Serena and Chuck had come home two nights before, back for their first break from college. The three siblings stayed up all night sharing stories and drinking and eating. Then Eric had to make an appearance at school the next day so by Wednesday afternoon the boy was exhausted, but he remanained awake through the whole night again for more of the same from his sister and brother.

The penthouse was quiet on this particular Thanksgiving Day morning. He suspected that his mother and Serena were at the parade, a tradition they had shared since they moved back to the city. Eric had always hated the parade. Not really the parade itself, but the throngs of people and tourists and today especially, he knew he couldn't handle it all.

He looked around for his phone. It had been tossed around in Serena's vain efforts to sneak a peak at Eric's new boyfriend. Serena finally gave up their game of monkey in the middle when Chuck took the phone and Eric tackled her so Chuck could stash it somewhere. Chuck had been unusually available since his breakup with Blair. Their long distance relationship hadn't lasted past freshman orientation. Chuck's phone calls to Eric had become more frequent, usually twice a week or more. Of course they would text almost every day.

Serena had been her flighty self the whole time. Eric would go weeks without hearing from her, but then he would get a phone call every day for a month. He never mentioned the constant fighting, the awkwardness in the Bass household. He didn't want to worry them, didn't want things to get worse. If Serena became involved, inevitably it would hasten the dissolution of the marriage, making it occur ten times faster. Of course, maybe that was a better alternative to watching their mother play the whore with Rufus Humphrey.

Yes, Lily was still making frequent trips to Brooklyn, but for the last month or so, Bart had stopped asking about it. He had instead taken to completely and out right ignoring Lily whenever she came into a room. Especially when he hadn't heard from her in days. But then he was hardly ever home either. His "business trips" had become more frequent and longer than usual. He claimed that he working to acquire another hotel in Miami, but Eric knew that he had simply gone back to the Palace to get away from the tension in the penthouse. He wondered if his mother knew of her husband's deceit or if she would even care if she did.

Eric found his phone and plugged it in to charge it. He quickly showered and went downstairs to find Bart and Chuck in a deep conversation over brunch. It sounded like business but Bart waved him in so Eric quietly took a seat and started eating. He hid a smile in his orange juice as he thought about the change in relationship between his stepfather and his son. Bart had almost been welcoming to Chuck when he and Serena arrived home Tuesday night. Before their little party in Chuck's bedroom, Chuck and Bart had a long talk in Bart's office. For once, Chuck didn't look like a kicked puppy when he emerged from the office. He was almost smiling.

Suddenly the conversation shifted to less serious matters and Bart made a sound Eric had never heard form him. He laughed. Chuck seemd surprised too, he wasn't even able to hide his shock. Bart asked Eric what his plans were for the day although Eric knew that Bart was well aware of what he had planned. Eric was leaving the apartment as soon as Lily and Serena returned, and he planned to take Serena and Chuck with him to give their parents privacy to "talk." But Eric knew his role was to make it seem like he was doing something nice for his siblings to get them out of the house so, he quickly agreed when Bart had asked him for this a few days before.

Eric didn't know why Bart wanted to hide their constant fighting form Serena and Chuck but he suspected it was because involving them would only make things worse.

Once Lily and Serena arrived home, as promised Eric grabbed Serena and Chuck and took them out to wonder about the city. There were still tourists afoot but Eric was sure he could deal with them now. Lily was none too pleased at her son's departure along with his siblings, but only because it left her alone with her husband. Chuck and Serena didn't seem to notice as Bart mouthed a thank you to Eric as they piled into the elevator. Eric only hoped that his mother wouldn't run away this time as she had all the other times Bart had tried to talk to her.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thanks for the reviews!! Keep them coming I love them! They inspire me!!

The Crazy Thing Part 3  
Thanksgiving Day 2009

Eric arrived back at the Bass penthouse with Serena and Chuck just in time to get ready to go to the Waldorf-Roses' for their annual Thanksgiving soiree. Chuck had complained the entire day about going. He hadn't seen Blair since August, hadn't spoken to her since the first week of September, and really didn't want to see her that evening.

Serena on the other hand was off the wall excited to see her best friend and all her other friends whom she hadn't seen in months. Eric simply wanted the night to be over with so he could go back to bed and hopefully escape from his own personal nightmare for a few more hours.

Eric went by Bart's office to check on him, to see if everything had gone to plan. Bart was no where to be found, neither was Lily. Eric wondered if he should head to the diner where they had spent the previous two Thanksgivings. He shook his head and sighed, realizing that it didn't matter anyway. The fact that she wasn't here, that there wasn't a note, it was enough to tell him that it didn't even matter anymore. Either they had talked or they hadn't, but Bart had said that this was the last time. No matter what happened, this would be Bart's last attempt.

After a year of trying to fix things, Eric feared that everything was done. It no longer mattered. Bart had told him that just before last Thanksgiving, he and Lily had signed adoption papers, naming Bart as an adoptive father to Eric and Serena. Lily had never signed similar papers for Chuck. Even a year ago she was unreliable. Any court that tried challenge Bart's guardianship of Eric would face the wrath of Bart Bass. Eric didn't want to do that to his mother but had she really been much of a mother these last twelve months? Eric didn't think so and Bart was too fed up with her to care.

Eric went in to Serena's room where she was dressing for the evening. Chuck was lying on her bed, reading her Cosmo. The pair had grown oddly close since going away to school together. Eric wondered amusedly if Chuck finally got his wish for some missed childhood memories but he highly doubted it.

"Guys, I have to tell you something." Serena and Chuck looked up at Eric. Neither had heard the boy walk in, they were slightly startled.

"You haven't had enough of us already? I think we've abused you enough for one holiday season." Chuck laughed at his little joke and Serena gave him a smile before noting Eric's serious expression.

"What is it, Eric?" Eric looked down at his feet and walked over to the bed to sit beside Chuck. He waved Serena over and she sat down with Eric in the middle as was their custom.

Eric took a moment to gather his thoughts. He had had this conversation in his head several times. He wanted Bart to be here but his stepfather wasn't sure that was a good idea. Eric suddenly wasn't sure it was a good idea for him not to be here.

"The thing is, you guys haven't been around lately and not just since you left for school. During the summer and before that. I know more of what goes on around here because I'm here. In the middle of everything. Bart and I decided that we wouldn't tell you anything about this until it was over. And judging by their absence when we got home, I'd say that it is completely done."

"What are you saying?" Eric looked at Chuck. His stepbrother was always honest with him and suddenly Eric remembered every time he had said that he was fine when Chuck asked him if anything was wrong over the last year.

"Lily doesn't live here any more. She's been staying with Rufus Humphrey for the last month. But she hasn't been around much since you guys went to school."

"So are you saying that they're having an affair?" Eric nodded, watching his sister for the blow-up. "Well, it's not exactly a surprise. Don't tell me you were expecting this to last, Chuck!" Chuck did look surprised, but Serena wasn't and she automatically went for her phone.

"If you're calling Lily, I already tried. She won't answer. Most likely she's with _them _now. Bart would have called or left a note otherwise." Serena wasn't listening and threw her phone against the wall when the call went to voicemail. Eric watched the pieces fall to the floor.

"So you've been dealing with this by yourself this whole time. For a year?" Chuck's voice was softer than Eric had heard since he had called three months ago to tell him of his breakup with Blair. Eric nodded. Serena sat down by her brother and took his hand.

"I'm so sorry you had to deal with this alone."

"I wasn't alone though. Bart and I have talked about all of this. He's been pretty great to me." Eric looked over to Chuck who had collapsed against the pillows and closed his eyes. Eric knew that he hadn't stopped drinking since they had arrived home that afternoon. Serena never took her eyes off of Chuck. She knew better than Eric the dynamic between Chuck and Bart and she knew that he had only spoken to his father three times since he had left for school. And all three times Chuck had called, and each call had ended in screaming.

"Why didn't you tell us before? At least when we got back? You know we would have been here in like five hours." Eric nodded. He did know that.

"Precisely why we didn't tell you. Bart and I decided that it would only make things worse. You can't tell me that you wouldn't have tried to fix things which would have only made everything worse. I love you guys but you both have a tendency to over react and butt in where it doesn't concern you."

Serena blinked, furious. "How can you say this doesn't concern us? They are our parents, Eric! We had a right to know! I can understand Bart not telling us, but you? I can't believe you!" Serena stormed out of the room. Chuck sat up and threw his arm around Eric, shaking his head.

"I've been drinking so I may be a tad bit more understanding right now. I completely understand, we are far too volatile as we have just witnessed from our darling sister. I love you, E. You are a great little brother, you know that? I don't blame you or Bart. I always knew it wouldn't last..." Chuck trailed off, closed his eyes again and laying back down. Eric knew then that he and Chuck wouldn't be going to the Waldorfs' tonight.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: This is the last installment, Hope you've enjoyed this walk down What Might Have Been Lane. Please review!!

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The Crazy Thing Part 4  
Conclusion

The rest of the week was quiet. On Friday, Bart came back to the penthouse alone. Serena hadn't come home from Blair's house. Eric assumed that she wasn't going to come back. She was upset with him. He would let her stew and eventually she would forgive him. Even though Eric still thought he was right.

Chuck slept in, he had passed out early the evening before. The drinking had begun around five and he passed out around eleven. When he woke up at noon, his hangover was significant, so he showered and self-medicated. The thought of food made him nauseous (he hadn't felt like this since he was fourteen) but he forced himslf to go downstairs for lunch.

Chuck found his father and stepbrother talking quietly by the fireplace in the living room. His father called him in, surprised that he was home. Bart quickly explained the situation to Chuck but it sounded vaguely familiar to him. Had he heard it the night before when he was drunk?

Chuck nodded as he listened to his father then agreed to join him at the office for a few hours. Before leaving, Chuck pulled Eric aside. "Are you okay with everything?"

Eric nodded. "Yeah, I mean, I've had a while to get used to the idea so I'm okay. Just worried about Serena, you know." Chuck nodded and said goodbye, dutifully joining his father in the elevator to go to his office.

Eric watched his stepbrother follow his stepfather to the elevator and couldn't help but smile. Bart was actually talking to his son, and Eric couldn't help but feel like he had played some part in that.

Saturday was a bit more eventful. Bart had decided to take his boys to a hockey game and proceded to get more drunk than either boy had ever seen. Eric had slightly more experience dealing with a drunken Bart than did Chuck. Chuck had actually never seen his father drunk enough to actually cause him to act out of the ordinary. It just wasn't something that Bart Bass did.

But by the time the Basses returned home, Bart had passed out and Chuck wasn't far behind him, passing out as soon as he hit the living room sofa.

Chuck left for school on Sunday afternoon. Serena had texted him, saying to just meet her at Blair's, so he packed the bag she had brought and hugged Eric because pride was now long gone and left for school.

Eric watched Chuck's car leave with Bart by his side and wondered at how things had changed in the last few months. He hadn't heard from his mother in days, wondered if he would. Wondered if he wanted to, wondered if she even cared. But when Bart put his arm around him and led him back to the penthouse, Eric found that it didn't matter anyway. He didn't really care. He had finally found a family worth fighting for and he was going to stick with it, regardless of his mother. Maybe it wasn't so crazy after all.


End file.
